Fish processing apparatus



Feb. 5, 1952 w. A. FONKEN ETAL 2,584,567

' FISH PROCESSING APPARATUS I Filed April 16 1945 7 Sheet-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 144/00? 12 Fonken y f'a'mano' fluer Feb. 5, 1952 w. A. FONKEN ETAL 2,534,567

FISH PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N VEN TORS M'l/iam A Fan/fen BY Edmund flue/- A TTORNfYS 1952 w. A. FONKEN HAL 5 5 FISH PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 v 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 1 INVENTORS [40/00/27 A! finken BY [dim/2m flue;

} Maw/ 4 Wh Feb. 5, 1952 w. A. FONKEN ETAL ,5

FISH PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 I INVENTORS wk Ml/zam fl. Fan/ran y Edmund fluer O O M Q WW ATTORNEYS Feb. 5, 1952 'w. A. FONKEN ETAL FISH PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed April 16, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 TTORNE Y5 Patented Feb. 5, 1952 FIsn PROCESSING APPARATUS William ArFonken and Edmund Auer, Seattle,

Wash., assignors to Smith Cannery Machines Company, Seattle, Wash.,

7 Washington a corporation of Application April 16, 1945, Serial No. 588,522

Our invention relates to improvements in the art of processing fish and apparatus therefor More particularly our invention relates to improvements in the art of aligning and beheading fish of varying sizes and a machine thereforj Still more particularly our invention relates .to'a method of aligningfish characterized by its safety to operators and high rate of production, and relates to a method of aligning fish of varying size and degrees of firmness'in rapid succession relative to'the line of. cutting of a beheading knife while the fishare being subjected to counteracting forces toiobtain positive precise control in aligning to avoid-to the utmost wastage of edible meat, and wastage due to errors in feeding,

and to an apparatus for carrying out the same at relatively high speed, and at a relatively high rate of production. Especially and particularly is our invention related to providing for exact aligning and beheading fish where the variation in sizes of the fish heads is very great. In this connection, our purpose is to provide fish pulling means which renders it possible for anoperator to employ a nose stop or guid as an aid in initially positioning the fish even thou-gh the variation in the lengthsof the heads-is very great, and thus eliminate all necessity of eye judging on the part of the operator as to where to initially position the fishin starting it over the table.

, Furthermore, we provide acluteh mechanism which stops the conveyor mechanism only at predetermined positions and an improved beheading knife which compresses the meat out of the head part of the fish just before severing the head and thereby conserve choice; edible portions of meat. Also, we provide for preventing the severed head from interfering with the next advancing fish and cause a force to be imparted to the severed head and/or body which causes these ;members ,to move in opposite directions at the moment of severing. Still further, we provide an improved clip to engage the cleithrum, and modifiedforms of our invention which provide for simplified constructionand also in other features as the rotary knife mounted upon a shaft at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table which, among other advantages, simplifies the manufacture of the table. These and other features, are-provided by our invention, the same being a brief and thereforeincomplete summary. V V

In canning. fish, particularly salmon, it is important to conserve all of the edible meat that is possible and this requires that when the fish is beheaded that the out be made uniformly on fish after fish varying in size and conditionsasclose 14 Claims. (Cl. 174) as possible to the cleithrum bone on the rear side of the gill opening. On the one hand it is necessary to avoid including any gill part with the edible meat and on the other hand it is important to avoid any wastage of the edible meat in the attempt to eliminate all gill parts. Our invention relates to improvement in the automatic mechanical aligning offish to avoid such wastage so'that the alignment is accomplished with positive precision and uniformity upon fish even when the table becomes extremely slimy and the fish vary greatly in size and whether the fish are of a hard or soft condition. This varying in "condition must be taken into consideration in providing the results of our invention.

Furthermore, our invention avoids the positive necessity heretofore existing of having the header man (the man who heretofore manually placed the fish beneath the knife) being of spe cial skill and years of experience to avoid wastage of edible meat. Not only did such header man have to possess great skill but he had to be of a definite nervous temperament or make-up to be trained to do the job and stand the strain particularly due to the danger to his hands and fingers during long hours of a heavy salmon run. Such operators are now practically non existent due to the war and their elimination by reason of age. At such times realizing that he is tired, such operator keeps the beheading cut a safe distance from his hand and back of the proper line of cut so that the wastage of fish by manual feeding to the knife becomes very great. Thus, our invention contributes to the war effort, as respects the manpower shortage, by not requiring such skilled and such special temperamental operators. Our invention does not require any skill in feeding to the knife as this is done mechanically and auto matically by the machine with precision and the operator who places the'fish initially on the table is not required to do any judging. He has only to place the noses of the fish against the previously set nose guide.

When it is undertaken to mechanically move fish of varying sizes and varying in condition of softness and hardness with uniform precision into alignment with the line of cutting of a beheading knife and do this at a relatively high rate of speed, particularly after the equipment becomes wet and heavily coated with fish slime by continuous operation for protracted periods, it is found that a particularly difficult problem arises. The fish when lying on its side presents a convex surface tothe table, and in fact its form is completely well streamlined. The force necessary to move 3 it rapidly in high speed production operates to develop a momentum which makes it difiicult to bring the fish to a stop and renders the fish very difficult to mechanically control in bringing the line of out just rearward of the cleithrum in precise position with the beheading knife, for beheadingpurposes. The very force necessary to move itrapidly operates to put'thefish out of control. Forces applied to the fish of large size are not ordinarily adapted to small fish and forces adapted to properly operate with fish .of hard condition do not function properly when a fish of relatively soft condition is encountered 'arfd asia result the fish is not alignedwitnthat'degreeof uniform accuracy and precision which'is so important if wastage of edible meat is to be avoided. Since nearly one hundred millionsof fish each season are processed, a small amount of wastage on each fish amounts in -the aggregate to a great total 1oss--a result to bedefinitely avoided if humanly possible when the'world is'in suchadesp'erate food situation. Our purpose is toprevent wastage and 'conserve 'one'of our great natural foo'dresourc'es'the saving amounting to millions ofipounds per "season as compared'to manual alignment, and this without the'great danger to the "fingers and hands of operators ever present inmanualalignment.

'We havediscovered "a'method of controlling with precision the fish while being advancedover the table while lying "ontheir sides transversely of the "table and'preferablyback first. To'this end we'havediscovered how to apply a force to the fish tending to withdraw the fish from the alignment line While being so advanced. Nevertheless, the application'of this force is such as topermita-second'force to move a'clip engaging means'over 'the'fish in the opposite'direction in skin depressing manner untilit engages the'cleithrum. 'Thus,'the fishis'being moved in anopp'ositedirection'to thatof the clip prior to the engagement of the "clip with the cleithrum so "that the period of time of contactingthe cleithrum is reduced. After the cleithrum isengaged'by the "clip'then the'forceactuating-the i and thereby subjecting it "to positive control. 1

However, the forces are such and so'applied as not'to damage thefish. As'th'e clip'moves'the cleithrum' of the fish toward registration "with the alignment line," the pulling force is "reduced and is entirely removed just before the cleithrum a:

reaches'registration with'such line. The application'of these forces are thus characterized by permitting such sliding or releasable contactin providing for'precision control during alignment and permitting the initial starting of the fish, large and small, over the table bypositionin'g their" noses against a guide. Inshort, all the fish for a particular set up may start with their noses aligned on a predetermined line.

The task'of supplying to and'positioning fish upon the feed table when operating at high'speeds is one requiring great agility and quickness on the part of the operator in synchronizing his operations with the appearance ofthe lugs carried by the conveyor chains. The operators'position-is alongside the front end portion of the table. Hence, his eyes normally'first catch sight ofthe chain lugs on his side of the table coming from their return run beneath the table-to start their run overthe top-of the table. This means -that :side of the table. Accordingly, we have .dis- "covered thatitis desirable to have the axis of the shaft on which the beheading knife operates to extend at right angles to the longitudinal axis of theltablef thus making it possible to have the fish conveyed over the table top while their longitudinal-axes aredisp'osed at substantially ninety degrees toithe longitudinal axis of the table. This in turnrendersit possible for the operator to take his cue in initially shoving the fish upon the feed table i'from the lugs on the conveyor chain nearest him.

"Furthermore, the blow to the body of the fish incident to the beheading operation causes some come "entangled with the "mechanism 'requiring a shutting down of operations-until the same is cleaned out. "lfhe eifect-nf"this blow of "the knife is minimized by the shapeand form of the fcutting edges of theknifegas well'as-providing for an en'dwise' thrust' by -a-'projection carried by the blade of "theknife; *Also, such blow inbeheading often -causes the head 'to'iumpout of posit-ion and get in the way 'of' advancin fish so thatit"becomes'important that at the same time the out is made in beheading there should be an outwardly directed force "applied to the head to push -it away from the knife in a predetermined direction.

When the fish areof relatively large size they are so close togetl-ierthat "the" severed head does not "have time to clear the next fish *when'd-ependence ison'graidty aloneto'have it fall out of-the way. Our-aim is to 'p'revent thesevered' head interfering "with l the "succeeding *head and we achieve this -"(-d) by' havin'g"'l',he*axis f the shaft of the beheading knifeatright'anglesto" the 'advancing fish so the blow' s'evering the head does not tend to'force it into thepath of-the advancing -fish but directly -outwardly "and -a-wa-y from such path, (1)) preferably,' 'by also provid-ing 'projections on 'the- 'knife b1adethat'impartsanadded backward blow to the severedhead'to='forcibly makeitclear-the path of the next' a'dvancin'g fish and thus insure no interference with the next fish, and 1 o) byihaving 'even "the small-support for the head supplie'd by a "rod 'reduceld (by having the rod disposedat-a slant) if -not removed altogether =a't the moment of severing.

In providing foriprecisionl or positioningof' the fish with respect to the line of alignment -with the beheading-knife an'd 'maintaining the fish in such position, 'most careful attentio'n, we ha've discovered must-be given to-'maintaining a neat balance of forces applied to the fish. This requires 1 means to prevent the head from hanging back and L thereby ch'anging ithe position of the longitudinal axis-of -th'e fishwvith respectlto the longitudinal air-is of the 1 conveyor 'means. Io this end we provide 5 rods over which the hea'ds may transvers'ly an'd longitudinally slide s'o -that the relatively l heavy heads are -prevente'd from developing objectionable friction. :nlso we provide anti-friction rods-for' thebodyfiof -the fish so that l the fish is renderedmore subject -to control 'by means specially provided byour invention. ThuSy one of the fundamental objects 'of ourobie'cts of ou'r invention is' to either 'provide oppositely direoted or oppositely tdirecteii and counteracting forces so that fish of varying size and condition can be precisely controlled. We have discovered that the weight of the fish cannot be primarily relied upon tomaintain its position on the table. The effectiveness of this weight varying with the different sizes of fish and with the amount of accumulated slime is not enough. Our invention provides for a nicety of balance of forces that permit a precision of control of a fish in its movement into the line or plane of alignment established by the plane of cutting of the beheading knife blade. Summarily stated, we accomplish this by applying to the fish forces operating in a direction away from the line of alignment, and another greater force operating in a direction to move the fish to the plane of cutting or alignment against such oppositely directed forces, and we provide for holding forces and for reducing the pulling away forces as the fish approaches the line of alignment.

Our purpose is to provide an apparatus to carry out the same characterized by combining in cooperation, features which all function together in achieving our primary results, namely, protection to the operators, precision in causing the line of cutting and severing the head to be done with the least wastage of edible meat upon fish after fish in rapid succession, avoidance of fish becoming askew of the table andto maintain such precision while operating at a high rate of speed and production upon fish varying greatly in length of head.

In providing our invention to achieve the results set forth above, we have discovered that it is important to combine primary features of our invention in cooperative action, as follows:

Firstly.--Right angled rotary knife shaft.-In providing a rotary fish beheading knife for a fish dressing table it is important that the fish after being beheaded do not interfere in the course'of their travel with the knife on its upstroke. If, to avoid such interference by the fish with the upstroke of the knife, the shaft on which the rotary knife is mounted is'diSposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the table so that the knife on its upswing is out 'of the path of the advancing fish, then objection arises due to the fact that the knife in the act of severing the head tends'to move the head into the path of the oncoming fish and may thus cause thefish to become disaligned. We, in our invention, mount the rotary knife on a shaft with its axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table and upon and/orafter severing move the fish backward from the line of cutting to have they fish out of the way on the upstroke of the knife. Another advantage in having the shaft of the rotary knife with its axis at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table, as provided in our invention, is that it facilitates the task of the operator at the front endof the table in synchronizing the feeding of the fish with respect to the lugs on the conveyor chains. When the shaft is disposed at an angle then the fish likewise are preferably disposed at an'angle and that means that the tail end of the fish is in advance of the head. Since it is easier for the operator to note the appearance of the lugs on the near side of the table he is inclined to delay feeding the fish to the conveying chains until he sees the lugs on the near side, thus it happens that the fish may be fed late and the tail portion disposed rearward of the lug on the far chain instead of in front of said lug.' By disposing the axis of the shaft on which the rotary knife is mounted at right angles to the axis of the table we thus facilitate the feeding of the fish as the fish may be disposed at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table and at the same time the blow of the knife operates to move the head outwardly and away from the next succeeding advancing fish rather than directly against the advancing fish. Thus, misaligning of the succeeding advancing fish is avoided. Finally having the shaft on which the rotary knife is mounted disposed at right angles to the Ion-.-

gitudinal axis of the table greatly simplifies the manufacture of the table, and eliminates the danger of errors ever present when parts are to be correlated at an angle.

SecondZy.--P0sz'tive and precise control by counteracting forces.We have discovered how to positively control the fish of varying sizes and degrees of firmness in aligning them with caliper like precision with the plane or line of cutting. This control is achieved by subjecting the fish during their alignment to oppositely directed or counteracting forces. Specially designed movable fish-cleithrum-engaging clips are provided having one-half of their fish contacting face rounded and one-half sharp edges. Also having the ,fish disposed substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table (rendered readily possible by having the rotary knife shaft at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the table) prevents the said clip from running off the fish while moving into cleithrum engaging contact. Also there are provided special plate pullers which are fixedly and adjustably mounted on the table for engaging the bottom side wall of the fish as it lies on the table and also fioatingly mounted pullers for engaging the upper body side wall of the fish while lying on its side.

These pullers have such contact with the fish that they pull the fish away from the line of alignment (located on same side of table as the knife) even while the actuated clip is initially contactin and moving lengthwise of the fish. During this initial contacting of the clips it will be understood that such contacting by the clips does not move the fish transversely of the table in the direction of the knife side of the table. However, as soon as the sharp edge portion of the actuated clip engages the cleithrum then the actuated force of such clip functions to overcome the force of the pullers so that the fish is moved controllingly and steadily to the line of alignment under the action of the two oppositely opposed forces. Of course the actuated force overcomes the force of the unactuated pullers. When the fish is being finally moved into precise alignment, the pulling back force of the pullers in a direction away. from the side of the knife is gradually reduced and finally removed altogether so that the fish is located positively on'the line of alignment.

Thirdly.-Proyecti0ns on knife blade.-We preferably provide a projection on the knife to impart an outwardly directed force to the head in severing to make it move outwardly from the knife. Also, preferably, a second projection on the opposite side of the knife is provided to make the body of the fish move back from the knife and so start it toward a position in which it will clear the knife in its upward swing due to further cooperating means. These cooperate in eliminating clogging the machine and delays which reduce production.

Fourtfila-itfeam mulling beheaded fish "away from :tpZ-ane of rotating "knifa-a ifter' the fish -is beheaded, our invention provides for forcesand FifthZy.SpeciaZ cZutch.We,provide a special 'clutch'mechanism for use-on occasions when it 'isnecessary to stop theflow'offishto thefish dressing "machines in order that "the "fish "conv'eyors "always automatically stop with their lugs -in?a"predetermined'position to locate aifishwhich it may b'eedvancing, directly and wholly beneath the 'kniie'and; to have the knife continue rotating so that always upon stopping the advance of'the fish there will not be a "fish with its "head only halfwaybeneaththe'knife. This provides against loss-of time in Ioperation andrisk of'injury by theknife since uponresuming 'operationithere is .no'half severed'headnr mangledbody'to 'remove from beneath the knife in"addition1to correcting whatever caused the -stoppage in the dressing machine. Production is increased 'as emptyffish compartments on the conveyor chains are reduced. Above all, howr-iver, our special clutch avoids wastage of fish. 'If in stopping the conveyor chains, a fish is disposed partway beneath'the'knife, the knife may cnt'with' its forward edge portion and'this \vouldxcut through choice 'edible meat considerably back of the proper'line of cutting with consequent wastage of said meat. Our new clutch mechanism prevents this and. permitsthelugs only to stop with the "fish squarely beneath the knife so thatthe knife severs the head on thaline for which it is specially shaped. Incidentally, let itbenoted that the parallel guide opposite thefslot at the head severing position also assists in preventing othersher'einafter .described, are cooperatively combined to producev protection to the operators .(as the machineisautcmaticin its variousoperations and operators may remain away. from the knife), ,faster operation, andless wastage'of fish. One example of such other feature is the combination of a rod only for supporting-the head andparallel guide for fish during the head-severing, thus providing for thehead disposal and-its non-interfering with the nextadvancingiish.

The above mentioned general objects of-onr invention, together with others inherentdn-the same, are attained by the mechanism illustrated inthe following drawings, the :same being, preferred exemplary. forms of embodiment of Your invention, throughout which drawings .1 like freierencelnumerals indicate like parts:

Figure 1 is a side view in elevationz-of fish feeding table embodying our. invention;

.Fig. 2.is a 'plan view of the: same;

Fig. B is a planviewwithiparts broken'raway of the same illustratin .the various: positions of fish being aligned;

'Fig. 4 is a view in cross section substantially on dotted line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective' from-one=end or a fish engaging aligning clip of said device;

Fig. 6'is a front elevation of saidclip;

'Figb'lis a view in cross section on dotted line I--! of Fig. 6;

*Fig. '83s a view in"cross-=section on'-"dotted line "Fig. "9 is a-view -of said clip contacting the cleithrum'of a'ffish;

i ig. 10'is anew-substantially ondottedline l"0-'I-0 of Fig/4 "showing index driving sprocket and associated "cam member and "chain;

Fig. -1 3c is"'a' 'top view "Hooking-down on back) of the "end portion of a fish after severanceof the head 'by our invention Fig. "14 is a top view of said beheading knife;

Fig. 15 is an end view of said knife;

Fig. 16 is a view 'in' side-elevation of a floatingly mounted "hingedly connected two men'i-ber hold-down and puller means;

Fig. 16a is "a fragmentary view in side elevanon "of "a modified form of cur invention "of 'a floatingly mounted hingedly conne'cte d *twomember" hold-down means;

Fig. l'lis atopvie'w of said'hold down anfd :p-uller means showing -a "fish "guiding 'bar dotted line;

Fig. 18 is a view of "the "bottom side (of "said hold-down member;

'Fi'g. ii) is a view *in"cross"section"on dotted line 19-49 or: Fig/'16;

'Fig. "20 is a' longitudinal" view in cross-section of the clutch iof 'ourinvention and associated parts; v

Fig.2 1 is "a view inperspective'of" a fish'piilling bar;

Fig. 122 is a view "on dotted line 22-22 "of Figil i; 7

Fig.2? is'a view in'perspective'of"anndjustable nose .guidemember-With hand'resti located at the "fee'dend'df the table;

.Fig. 24 is "a view of the arm lift member in perspective;

Fig. 25 is "a view'in cross section of l the lever or clutch handle and locking "block;

Fig.26 is thetop view of the table plateshowingthe contour of the knife slot;

';'Fig.i 2'7- is'a' viewtpartly' in elevation and: partly in section *of'a modified form of a portion "of the clutch-mechanism;

"Fig-128 is a view in elevation of a "modified form "of the hold down and puller means;

Fig. "29 is avi'ewt of 'the "bottom of "said modified form of said "hold-"down and piil-ler "means;

*Fig'. 30isa plan viewof a'modifiedform'of our invention;

Fig. 3171s afragmentary view-"in elevation-on line 31- 31 -or Fig. 30;

'iFig. 32 is a view on line '32-i-32 of Fig. '31;

7 form ofan alignment 'm'ember ofour invention;

sprocket shafts 2| and 22 for mounting sprockets 23 atthe front end of the table and sprockets 24 at the rear end of the table. U-shape brackets 25 and 26 mount traveling fish-aligning means referred to in general as 21. Mounted on said table also is fish beheading knife mounting shaft 28.

The top 29, Fig. 2, of said table is provided with grooves 30, 3| and 32 in which conveyor chains 33 move being mounted on said sprockets 23 and 24. Said chains have upstanding lugs or fish engaging means or pushers 34 for engaging fish and these may extend substantially in line transversely'of the table, the lugs on the middle chain, groove 3|, being slightly out of line rearwardly in order to provide for the convex character of the ventral side of thefish, while the tail lug on chain 33- in groove 32 may be slightly ahead of the lug on chain in groove 30 to compensate for smallness of tail as compared to head. Be it noted that there is no advance of such lug in groove 32 due to any angular disposition of the shaft which mounts the knife. Also, a distinct advantage in eliminating the angular position of the knife. shaft is the resulting simplification in construction. When the heavy cast table top is set up for machining, it is not necessary to reset it to machine the parts disposed at an angle. These lugs 34 engage the fish as they are positioned upon the table by an operator standing at the side near the front.- The lugs 34 pressing in the softer parts of the fish push the fish while lying on their sides lengthwise of the table preferably with their backs first and their heads extending to the left of groove 30. Stationary diagonal fish engaging pullers 35, 36, 31, 38, 39, and 45 may be mounted between grooves 33 and 3| by bolts in opening 56 and adjusting slot (Figs. 2 and 21). Each of these diagonal pullers has a relatively sharp upstanding rib 4| (see Fig. 21) in order the better to grip the fish. However, the leading edge of each rib is tapered at.

58 to allow the fish initially to ride easily upon the puller. Rod 59 partly supports the head at the instant the second point 82 of the knife 45 first contacts the fish, the front point 83 is higher and contacts the fish later so that the cutting operation proceeds forward and aft of the second point 82. .At the moment of severing, the head is about free of support from rod 59 and is free upon severing to fall into chute 84. Head supporting or slide rods 42 and 43 serve to lessen the friction of the head on the table and thereby facilitate the alignment of the fish rendering its movement transversely of the table more entirely subject to the action of all the aligning meansa lagging head may facilitate the conveyor chains causing a fish to asume an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the table, thereby displacing arfish from its proper positioning and preventing its true alignment. The head of a fish is relatively-heavy compared to the rest of the fish.

With a large fish the head may extend from the lugs 34 on chain in groove 30 as much as eleven inches.

The axis of knife mounting shaft 23, Fig; 3, extends transversely of the table at ninety degrees to the longitudinal axis of the table. On'

this shaft ismounted the fish beheading knife mounting member 44, Fig. 13, upon which is mounted the fish beheading knife 45. The contour of this knife cross sectionally considered. Fig. 26, is such as to register with the line of cut across the fish just rearward of the cleithrum -4E5, Fig. 9, and the joint or joining part of the 10 pectoral fin 41 thereby removing in one operation not only the head but the fin joint portion, thereby cutting through the fin and causing it to drop away. The cut then preferably angles forwardly. The table plate 48, Fig. 26, is provided with a fish beheading knife slot 43 to permit the knife to continue revolving through the table and return on its upward stroke the fish beheading knife rear opening 55 disposed oppo- 10' site the fish beheading knife slot 55 (Fig. 3). Recesses 45a permit projections 52 and 53 of the knife blade to pass. The wide slot 5|, shown in dotted line, is cast in the table top 29. Applying the plate 43 makes possible a precise close fitting shearing slot readily adjustable to the knife contour.

The cutting edge of the knife from A to B is preferably filed on two sides to form a relatively blunt double beveled edge as shown in Fig. 13a while the edge B to C is filed on one side only with a long tapering bevel as shown in Fig. 13b to form a sharp cutting edge. The mode of operation of this knife with the fish not pressingly held down by floatingly weighted hold-down means and in fact upheld except as it is held to a small degree against transverse movement by parallel guide 54 is this: The relatively blunt edge of the knife functions to compress the head during severing. As the meat cannot escape on the head side as it is composed largely of bone, it is readily and freely pressed backward on the body side as the fish' is not held down. Thus, is insured and saved a rounded bulge of meat extending to the head side of the cut as shown in Fig. 130.

The fish beheading knife 45 is preferably provided with inclined projections 52 and 53 (see Figs. 13, 14, and 22). Such projections are preferably provided on each side of the knife and serve to shove the head, upon its being severed, away from the knife and the projection on the opposite side tends to shove the body away from the knife, thus operating to force the head and body in opposite directions. Whilesuch projections are preferably provided on both sides of the knife as shown in Figs. 14 and 22, such pro- J'ection, as 53, may be provided only on one side. This would preferably be on the side engaging the head.

Fixed fish engagingparallel guide 54 is mounted on the table longitudinally of the table in order to maintain the fish in aligned position while being carried beneath the knife 45. This guide (or holder) .54 has an upstanding rib-like member like the rib 4! of puller 35, Fig. 21, and

said guide also serves to hold the fish from being pulled back beneath the knife after the head is severed and the conveyor chains are stopped by a clutch mechanism (described hereinafter) with the fish at the beheading station.

An upstanding inclined fish guide 55 is mounted rearwardly of the knife slot 43 to shove the body of the fish toward groove 30 and away from the plane of rotation of the knife so that the knife on its upstroke through opening does not con-- tact the body of the fish. Rods 85, 86, and 8'! (like rods 42 and 53) lessen the friction of the body of the fish while moving rearward after the head is severed. These rods are all very im portant in keeping the fish in transverse positio and assist the pullers 3B, 39 and 50 and upstanding inclined guide in moving the fish transverse of the table, i. e., away from the upstroke of the knife 45.

At the frontend of the table an adjustable fish nose guide memberfifl F'ig. 23, may bemounted... and'which nose guide may have a hand restlmem ber. 6| sothattheoperator may havehis fingers extending out fromthe guide .in a position tore.-

ceive the backside of the head of the fish while.

the right handmoves. the. fish onto the table froman adjacent shelf SZZintimed' relation to have the fish engaged .by lugs 34 cnthe conveyor.

chains in substantial .transversealignment. The fish are fed to shelf .fiZfroma chute 63'.

Vertically slidably mounted and therefore iioatingly mounted above the. table is combined puller andhold-down. means 64 and 65 (see. Figs. 3', 16,117, 18, and 19). These means .arealike. Each comprisesa memberfieand .a member E'l-hinged or pivoted together at E9. Blocks l83' have slots I i held by, bolts I 85.. adjustably limiting .the degree of swing of member. 61 with respect tomernber. 66iby. bearingagainst. block. 85f. secured .to

said membenfiti. Onmemberstfi" are two upstanding earsfis .andja towhich mounting rods 8% and iii are pivotally. secured; These mounting rods extend'through. sleeves. I6; Fig. 19, mountedon plate. 89, Fig. 4, andhave nut Ii and locking nutlia thereon- Rod 8.! ismounted.

like rod. Sfirelative toplate 89. This permits fish of different size to pass-beneath said combinedpuller andhold-downmeans. fi isince. the. fish. will raise. the. thus. fioatingly mounted meansv while passingthereunden This means 6 3, i.

members 66 and B1, is preferably of channel con struction having flanges. 12-. and i3, seeFig. 19.. Adiagonally disposed-fish puller member 'M-issecured to the vundersidecfv the leading member This operates to pull the fish away, from.

66. groove. 30. This action. is greatly increased by having means .14 disposedabove diagonally fixed pullers.35 and-36. (Fig..3)-so that the two, i. e.,. the. uppenmeans. l4. and .the. lower means 35. and.- 36. can cooperate. in .a. particularly; efiicient man: ner. todevelop pulling forces; Asthe. fish ad-r vancesand is shoved. nearly; into. alignmentiitlpasses beyond means I4 .and .the. pulling force is: Member. 6.! op. erates to hold the fish in position andagai-nst- Puller. 31; is preferably shorter; thanpullers. 35 and 36. so. that. therpulling force ends: just before the cleithrum of thefishreaches the only. that of bottom puller 35!.-

puller 3'5.

line of alignment 15 which is next explained below.

The beheading knifeeestablishesrwhat.is here.

in referred to as .the. line-or plane. of cutting and thisline or, plane. of cutting. is .identified.in .the. table by the broken lineJE. F-ig,.2..that.is, said line. beingv the line of intersection, of said. plane with theplane of thetable. Itiswith respectto this line. l5, referred to .hereimaslihef jf align mentj. that all the aligningmeans herein pro.- videdoperate to bring. the-cleithrum: to of fish in coincidence-or ;direct*registry at the. time. that the; knife '35- contacts a the fishiinithe be heading. operation. Thecrflangermembersifi and ll of the hinged member Slareprovided with relatively sharp tooth-like projections l3;- 16, for the purpose of 'more securely-holding the fish. In controlling the fish, this tooth -like-construction on the hold down means has been formed to be exceptionally efficient.

In the modified form of floatingly mounted hingedly connected. two-member hoid down means Fig; 16a has'member' 12 also provided with tooth depending fish engaging faces F8 without any puller means fill. This. is a par-- ticularly efiicient hold-.clown means. Itshold threadedly mounted they, may be readily ad-- justed; These.clips-.96. (see. Figs. 5, 6, 7, and 8) preferably have a bottom .portion .divided into two parts, about. one-half has. a. rounded. portion 9]- (Figs...5and"7) to permit this .partof the clipto.

pass relatively, easily. overthe. rear. firm; dorsal.

portion of. thefish. The. other part 980i the clip. is a sharp edged portionAseeFigsj and 3) where. by thev clip is aidedlin engaging; the. cleithrum.

bone of;the:fish.by.getting down behindsaid bone. for a firm grip on .theifish. This home .is located- (see Fig. 9). near the bones 41'. forming the rear part" of the gill? opening. The. fish-contacting. face of the clip, that is, the underside isof a con-- cave form (see'Fig. 6), the .better. to approximate the curvature .of thefish transversely. considered. Also, clip 95? preferably has.the.gill. catchingfiange 201. In .the case of one .flsh.out ofhundreds, .it may happemthat the gill. cover will be open and by holding the gill cover down by flange 261', the operation ofltheclipwithrespecttothe cleithrum isfacilitat'ed'. The chain is mounted on index sprocket wheels 99, and. ifliian'd which. sprocket .wheelsinturn aremounted on shafts. I II I and I 02. Indemsprocket. wheel. 99. is: fixed to. shaftv IIl'I by atapered pin. I3I '(F-igwll), which. pin drives. sprocket. 99.v mounted-insleeyes. I03and. III4, .F.'ig-s. 2..and.'.11,

both of whichare.secured.to...the frame members.

25 and'26, respectively. Shaftlfll has driving. bevel gear I05.. Upon sprocket-wheel 99 is mounted arm lift. mounting member. I06 (see. Fig. 24). This lift member. Iii ilhastwoupstanding. ears ,I 81. Shaft I918. iscarried at theupper end of rod 96. On shaft I88. is mounted roller I09 with spacer stop member I ID-a .stop.member. becauseit ens gages top of sleeve 91. In ears Ifi'iare pivotaily. mounted arm lifts .I II .on'pins. IIZ, Figs. 10 and 11;. Armlifts III have rollersII3..intermediate= their: length. Cam member. II4. isfixedly ad: justably securedto. sleeve. I93. by, set screws. I I5, Fig. 10. Said cam ..I Mhas cam. face shown in outline. (Fig. 12), saidfacehaving abrupt lift shoul.. der face. I.l6.,andigradual.let downfacel IT. AS sprocketwheel 99,.carrying. arm lifts III, re-.- volves, it .is timed with com I I 4 .tocause arm lifts III to suddenlymove-upwardlyas roller II3 en gages face IIB of the camII Land engages shaft I68 atthe very moment-that clip 96 in engage.- ment with the cleithrum 46 of a fish has moved the fish transversely. of .the table and has caused the cleithrumto coincide. or. register with the plane of cuttingi. e., line I5. Thus, arm lifts III; instantly rise because of. sudden movement" due toabruptness of face Iii-and disengageclipss 96 from contact witha. fish, so thatthe fish isno longer moved transversely of" the table. It

is then maintained directly on its forward course" by fixedguide54. Cam means I'M lifts the clip' 96 sufficiently above theafish try-disengage. clip,

In. these. guidesleeves 92, are

Shafts. IOIand I02 are.

coming shaft I98, and thus be in a position to be lifted upwardly to strike shaft I98 and dis' engage its clip 96 from the next advancing fish. Roller I99 engages the inclined end portion of track 8 (see Fig. 1) which lifts the clip 96 the necessary. further distance above the table to enable such clip to clear the fish advancing thereunder as said clip 96 is returned to the forward end of the table where the track I I8 slopes downwardly to allow the rod 94 and its clip 96 to de-' scend into fish engaging position. Track I I6 (Fig. 1) is supported by brackets I32 carried by I U-shaped brackets 25 and 26.

It will be noted that the index or aligning chain 99 (Fig. 2) is disposed at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the table so that the clips 96 have two components of motion, one forwardly .and

one transversely of the table. The forward movement is at a rate equal to that of the advancing fish and the rate -of travel transversely is such. as to bring the clip 96, while it engages the fish beneath the cleithrum, into alignment with the plane of cutting line 49. The travel of clip 96, after contacting the fish, is in sliding and .skin

depressing contact with a fish and this continues until the clip 96 engages the cleithrum 46 whereupon it shoves the fish snoutward in a direction v transversely of the table until said cleithrum 46 is in alignment or registration with alignment line 49. A plate 89, Fig. 11, serves as a track supporting means for the bearing 9 of sleeve.

9|. As sleeve 9| is mounted on the chain'99, said plate 89 serves as a track supporting means for the chain 99 throughout its length. On U,-

shape bracket 25, Fig. 4, there is mounted shaft n I 29 having mounted on one end portion bevel gear I2I, engaging bevel gear I95, and on the'other' end portion a sprocket wheel I22 with adjusting coupling I33 to permit adjusting the position of clips 96 lengthwise of the table with respect to lugs or fish pushers 34 on conveyor chains 33. .A knife shield or guard I23, Figs. 1 and 21, is-

preferably mounted over the knife 45 as a guard against accidents. Shaft 28, Fig. 4, on which the knife mounting member 44 is splinedly secured, has bevel gear I24, meshing with bevel gear [25 on vertically disposed shaft I26 which shaft has at its lower end portion bevel gear I21 which in turn meshes with bevel gear I28 carried on the end of shaft I29 extending transversely of the table. vOn the other end of shaft I 29 islbevel gear I39 which may be connected by a commonly employed train of gears or other power transmitting means to a suitable source of power. On transversely disposed shaft I 29 is mounted a sprocket wheel I49 over which passes chain- I4I, Fig. 1, which also passes over sprocket wheel I42 which is mounted on shaft 2|. Shaft 2| isfixedly .mounted in the frame 29 of the table and also in U-shape bracket I44, Fig. 2, carried by the frame of the table. I

Sprocket wheel I42, Fig. 20, is mounted in an assembly of parts as follows: A clutch member 45, Fig. 20, is idly mounted on shaft 2|, said clutch member having a clutch jaw face I46 and a shoulder I 41 on which sprocket wheelj|42 is fixedly mounted by means of set screws I 46holding a retaining collar against such sprocket and shear pin I49. A hearing washer I59 is mounted against the end of the clutch member I45 to receive the thrust of spring I| which spring on 7 beneath the knife 45, Fig. l.

14 its opposite end bears against mounting bracket member I44. A collar I52 is fixedly mounted on shaft 2| and is disposed in a recess I53in clutch member I 45. The thrust of spring I 5| functioning as a safety device against too great strains, holds clutch member I against said collar I52, said collar definitely limiting the movement of the clutch member I45 longitudinally of the shaft 2| toward clutch member I54. Movable clutch member I54 having face I55 is mounted on shaft member 2| longitudinally movable of spline or key I56. Collar I5Iis disposed in recess I59 of clutch member I54. Collar I51 definitely limits the movement longitudinally of the shaft 2| of clutch member I54. Collar I51 definitely limits A separable section yoke collar I43 (Fig. 2) is mounted in recess I 59 of clutch member I54. To this yoke collar I43 is secured a lever or clutch handle I69, Figs. 2 and 20*, by pin means IIiI. Lever I69, Fig. 2, is pivotally mounted at I62 on bracket I44 for horizontal swinging and slight tilting vertically. Fixedly secured underneath bracket I44 is a block member I 63 shown in dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3, under which member I63 the lever or clutch handle I69 is disposed. On the upper side of such handle is fixedly mounted an abutment block I69 which may abut block I63 when the clutch members I45 and I54 are engaged. Slight lowering of the grip end of handle I69 will disengage these blocks. Tension spring I64 is attached by one end to lever I69 and by its other end to bracket I44, and the tension is slightly upwardly directed so that the lever or clutch handle I69 is held upwardly against the underside of bracket I44 with its block I69 tight against block I63 when the clutch members I45 and I54 are engaged. In this way clutch member I54 is held in engagement with clutch member I 45 so that rotary motion is imparted to shaft 2| through spline or key I56. Conveyor chain sprocket wheels 24, Fig. 2, are splinedly or otherwise fixedly mounted on shaft 2|. Thus, the conveyor chains are driven through clutch I45-454 when its elements are engaged.

To release the clutch it is only necessary for the operator to give a blow downwardly on handle I69, which serves to push block I69 below block I63 to disengage the former from the latter so that spring I64 is free to swing the handle horizontally about its pivot and urge the clutch member I54 away from clutch member I45 without directive effort of the operator who needs both of his hands for other matters during such emergency. 7

At times it becomes necessary to stop the conveying or advancing of the fish and it is desirable at such times that the conveyor chains 33 with their lugs 34 do not stop with the fish halfway It is desirable to have the conveyor chains 315 stop with a fish directly beneath the knife and as said knife receives its power directly from shaft I29 it continues to revolve and severs the head of a fish which is conveyed to the position beneath its revolving blade 45; In order to have the conveyor chain mechanism stop the fish with the lugs delivering a fish directly beneath the beheading knife for complete severance, the clutch mechanism I45 and I54, above described, are provided in conjunction with the clutch member next to be described. Idly mounted on shaft 2| is a clutch member I65 mounted upon the frame member 29 of the table by bolts I66. Clutch member I65 has clutch face having a recess I61.

Glutchmember. I54 has, clutch: face having a:

projection, I681 The: spacing between clutch; face. I 55, and, clutch; face I 4 6i-issuch that, clutch.

face- I55 of} clutclrmember.v I54 cannot become.

disengaged from clutch face I45: until projection I 68 slides into recess I 61: thereby. disconnecting the transmission of powerto the shaft 21. cluteh.faces Miami I55=cannot be, disengaged until projection I68= revolves. until; it engages; I61 when it isiorcedlognitudinally of-the shaft 2L by lever ltd-and spring; I54, the conveyor chains 33cannot stop with a-fish partlyunder or, through, theknife. The timingofthe stopping of the. conveyorwmeans ii 8., chains. 3.3, by

recess Ifil and theprojection I68.is-such as'to.

precludev anystopping of.. the. conveyorv means with the lugs 34 .of .said conveyor. chains presents ing; a, fish. at.v any other position than directly.

beneath the knife as .respectsthose lugs. 34-- adjacentthe knife. I I

On the. end. of shaft. 2.I is. mounted? a sprocket wheeLJ 89 over which extends-sprocket. chain IB'I Fig. 2.. This chain initurn .extendsoversprocket I 22F whereby. the aligning on indexing means; 2] isoperated.

A.V-shaped-trough.I82 at the-end oftheitable, receivesithe fish from. the .table after they. are.

beheaded, being-moved toisuchtable end by conveyor chains 33;. From such trough an operator.

removesithefish the trough of such shape hold-. ing thefishinproper belly-up positionas shown inIlig. 3. I

In the :modified form-f. the. clutch mechanism showniin Fig; 2.7, thecollar I57ivis. omittedanda spiral-spring I85 disposed in recess I58 .is substituted, having. oneend. bearings against member. Hit-and: the other, end of said. spring bearing against collarv I52.v makes..=unnecessaryspring 164(Fig. 2.). Enclosing; theispringi member. I85 within theimechanism renders it more directl positive. inaction and. less, subject to contamination by pieces of v fish and slime and less in-the way of the operator.

In thesmodified forms of the puller. and hold:- down means, Figs. 28-and 29, the front member, I 8.5shastwo, side plates I 8'! and I 88 through which hinge-bolt .189 passes to mountrear member. I98

Both vvmembers: I Stand. I llsare ofchannel form: cross sectionally considered as in forms. Fig. 16.;

and Fig. wand are mounted vertically.floatingly v upon, rods; I58... and I91. corresponding; substan=- tially. to rods. 80. and 81,. of Eig, 16..and having substantially the same mounting means.v so; that. the rodsmay rise-and fall and let fish ofvarying, I81, has. an. enlargediendi. I91. to receiveadjustingbolt I92 v havinglcck. nut I94: lnithis modifiedformthe. undersideioffront member lsfiand rear member I51)... preferably have -.a.plurality,. of, inclined rib-.-

size pass thereunder. Side plate shaped pullers, I95 incontrast to having. a, single so. that it-can .more-readily receive. a large fish. Pullers I95- are preferably employed .inicooperar tionwith bottomvpullers35, 36 and, 3I (Fig.3) and the pullers I95, are disposed inparallelrelation,to.upstanding. edges 4 I .of .said bottom pullers.

Such construction. and combination, insures ,very.

Since This spring replacesand...

positive andeficient application-ohpullinggfoi cess upon the afishinidra-wing it .to the alignmentbar; and causing; the engagement of: the cleithrum: therewith as ,set. forth herei-nbelow with respect; to Figs, to '36.. v

In l' iigs. .30, 3 1 and ..32;.further: modificationsuof our invention are illustrated; 'Ihese relateto the: aligninggof the fish on. a table having conveying;- chains, rotating knife and, clutch; substantially; inallrespectsthepsame as hereinabove set forth; with the following; particular diiference: Insteada of; aligning by; moving-power driven clips.96,-,a:. plurality of; cleithrum; engaging relatively short; members-1 98;. I 919', Zifl hand 12 Mare vertically floatsingly mounted in the vertical plane of the line; 75 of cutting of the rotating knife 45. Members: I98 to 20I arepivotally mountedonrodsZflZ slid-,- ingly mounted in sleeves 283'carried by plate;2Il4'. Plate: 20!; i is; mounted: above: the: table :20 IL on U shape brackets 2565.; Members: I dildo-'28] prefer..-

ably have: the relatively-sharp: edge 206'; I*"ig;.32;v extending entirelyacross the. face'of eachzoftsaidrv members; Also, said members: may havethe-gill. catching memberzrZ El] .1 Thesealignmentimembers:

. i fiito 2III vmay"beconnectedibylinks 268'." Rods:

varying sized fishintoafiexible-or sinuous-line V horizontally considered; as-zseenin Fig; 31. Ac cordingly, such 'members I 98 to 201 constitute a stop to any movement of the fish transversely of the table after they: become'engaged' with-the cleithrum of the fish; and theyguide the -fish' to the knife with the cleithrumin registration with the line of cutting of-the-knife to avoid'wastage of ediblemeati Fixedbottom pullers 35136 and 3'I"are provided to pull the fish-to the rig-ht of the table, i. e., awayfrom the line of cutting of the knife as in the-'first-described form.

In this modified form, such pullers pull the fishin a direction tothe right of thetable beneath members I98 toZIJI until theclei-thrum 46*b'ecomes caught against edge- 2i3fi' andhold the cle'ithrum 46 against the edge. To'insure such positive and prompt-'pulling't'o the right of the fish, the modified puller and hold-down members, asshown in Figs; 28 and 29,' are preferablyprovided fioatingly mounted ab'ove'fixed bottom" pullers 35 with pullers" I5 registeringwith or disposed parallel to the edges 4|, Fig,- 21', of pullers 35,- 36, 31 so that-said pullers mayvfully' cooperate in pulling the fish beneath alignment members I93 'to 251 while said "Weighted" members are pressed downwardly in skin depressing; contact with the fishuntil itscleithrum 4Bis brought into engagement with theedge. 206' of such alignment members. Thereafter therfi'sh is advanced by lugs. 34f0fchains 33 longitudinally of thegtable to the beheading knife 45'. Asthe. fish is engaged by parallel guide 54'andiisab011t. to pass beneath the knife 45, the fish.is free and beyond thefpulling to the rightaction. ofmem.- bers 35,.36and 31 'andtheupper pullihgmeanss I95j of; I86, andIl-IL,v Thus, thefish proceeds-be neath the. knife with. the. oleithrum 46 in the, alignment line 15, i., e., line of cutting of the knife.

Thetable. 2i] hasiextensioniplate 259 and .antifriction rods -2Il.and 2.] I with noseguide 2I2 preferably. similar. in construction to guide I 60,.

Fig. 2am that: the:fish may be positioned 1111i? tially by the operator with-the nose against said nose guide 2l2 which in this modified form is positioned suiiiciently to the left as viewed by one standing adjacent shelf 62 and looking longitudinally of the table towards the knife of the line of cutting 15 to insure the cleithrum of the fish being initially to the left of the alignment members 198 to 2M. -Accordingly, such initial positioning of the fish insures the fish being pulled with its cleithrum against edge 206 Of the aligning members I98 to Zill In the modified-form of our invention shown in Figs. '33, 34, and 35,'instead of members I98 to 2! with links 268, we provide hinged members H2, 213, 2M and 2 l pivotally connected by bolts 216, so that any gaps between the members is reduced and yet the desired degree of flexibility is provided to allow for and adapt themembers tothe varying sizes of fish passing therebeneath. These relatively short members 2| 2 to ZIE are mounted. on rods 2!! corresponding to rods 202 and having similar sleeve mountings as provided for rods 202 so that the same are'fioatingly mounted for varying sized fish. The members! I2 to 2 l5 preferably are of the cross section shown in Fig. 35 where the bottom face is concave but lacks the sharpness of the edge as, Fig. 5, so that the pulling effect of bottom pullers'35, 36 and 31 and upper pullers'l95 do not have too great a resistance to their pulling action previous to the engagement of the alignment members 2 I 2' to 2 I 5 with the cleithrum, l. e.,' whilethe fish is being transversely moved into engagement with said alignment members. The hinge parts 2H8, 2I9 of member 212 and the centralhinge'part 220 of member 213 provide for a part of each member H2 and 2l3 tobe in engagement with the fish.

In the modified formsh'own in'Fig; 36, a single alignment member 225 is provided of a length to extend substantially betweentwo sets of lugs 34 of the conveyor chains 33. This single alignment guide is substituted to perform the function of the alignment members I98 to 20!. and the other alignment members of the modified formsshown in'Figs. 33 to 35. v

In'Fig. 37 a modified form of the portion of a cam of our invention shown'in Figs. 10, 11, and 12 is shown. In this modified form an upper member 226 with slot 221 which permits adjustment thereof is positioned above cam member l M by securingthe same by bolt 228 to member I03 thus providing an upper guide face 229. By

irrespective of size and provides for compensating for great variation in the length of the heads of the fish. This is accomplished by applying transversely directed forces to the body side of the fish for causing it to move to the side of the table opposite to that on which the beheading knife is located, and then employing the cleithrum as the part of the fish for final alignment. This, in conjunction with the nose guide, eliminates all application of judgment on the part of the operator in starting the fish and renders the operators positioning of the fish merely mechanical. In supplying fish to the fish table he has only to place the nose of the fish against the nose guide by reason of the compensating means herein set forth.

The operator in feeding the fish ordinarily stands adjacent the front end of the table with his left hand palm resting on rest iii of nose guide 60 with his fingers extending beyond to receive, arrest and temporarily grasp the head of a fish shoved by his right hand transversely of the table top 29. He takes his cue as to when to shove the fish forward by watching for the spacing of the lug 34 in groove 36. For purposes of reference the side of the table on which groove 36 appears is herein identified as the left hand or near side while the side on which groove 32 appears is herein identified as the right hand or far side. He may safely relay upon such lug in i said groove 36 or left hand side because in our invention the fish is disposed at right angles to the line of advance and this is made largely pos r from the nearest groove in synchronizing his feed thisconstruction-the"roller ll3'is confined in its travel over a'portion of the cam and prevents all possible dislodgement of arm II I thus insuring that arm I will aways be in operative position beneath shaft I08 when the latter reaches the pertinent section of its'path of travel.

' Mode ofzopea-ation Themode' of operation of ourinvention has been set forth in large measure above in connectionxwith the detailed description of the mechahis m embodying our invention. The following however will supplement and serve to make more clear the understanding of the details'of our in vention:

} Let it be noted that our invention in aligning varying -sized fish, i. e,, fish'having varying sized heads, for the beheading operation/to conserve all possible edible meat, employs in se ence, the 'no'se,the body side, and the cleithrumf The method and mechanism-of our invention provides for its optimum operation forthe fish to all start from the 'sameline established by the? nose guide of the fish to the table, he may feed a fish too late to have the lug 34 in groove 32 come up behind the tail end portion, then that fish must be removed and that compartment proceeds forwardly without a fish, all of which involves less production, if not a mangled and lost fish.

The operator places the fish with its nose against the upstanding edge of the nose guide 66 which is adjusted to have the cleithrum 46 of the fish well towards the groove 30 in the preferred form of our invention, preferably to the right of the alignment line i5 as shown in Fig. 3. From then on the machine automatically does the rest. The lugs 3 l move the fish forward against the pullers 35, etc., and beneath floatingly mounted combined pullers 14 of hold-down means 64. These functions to pull the fish tailward farther toward the right away from alignment line 15 and toward groove 32. While the fish is thus moving to the right, the supporting roller I09 for clip 96 carried in elevated position rolls off trackway 8, which permits clip 96 to descend and floatingly but skin depressingly contact the fish, and while such clip is moving to the left toward line i5 it also is moving simultaneously forwardly Q at the same rate that the fish is being advanced by lugs 34. Lugs 34 somewhat indent the relatively soft belly part of the fish as they overcome the combined retarding forces of pulleys 35, etc., and puller '14 as well as hold-down means 61. The Pulling away forces of the said pullers below and above are of a magnitude to cause the fish to continue moving to the right even after clip 96 contacts the fish. But when the clip 96 engages the cleithrum 46 then the fish is moved to unobjectionable degree.

the left toward the alignment line 15. This pulling action thus makes it possible to have all the fish, large and small, start with their noses from a common line, i. e., the nose guide 69, so that the operator has no judging to do in starting the fish on the table. He has only to position the fish with its nose against the guide, and the machine automatically and mechanically then compensates for the variation in the distance between the nose and the cleithrum obtaining in small fish and large fish in the same species, as well as between different species.

The fish starting from the predetermined line established by the nose guide are sufficiently far to the left to insure that although the pullers will move each fish, small and large, successively tailward, i. e. to the right, the large fish will be sufficiently advanced lengthwise of the table to have its cleithrum engaged by the clip 9's. A smaller fish will start with its cleithrum further to the left than the large fish so the only difference will be that the clip '96 will not reach and engage the cleithrum 45 of the smaller fish quite as quickly as in the case of the large fish whose cleithrum, because of the extra length of the head, started out more to-the right than that of the small fish. But the pulling action insures that the cleithrum. of both the small and large fish will be engaged by the clip $36 as the pulling action will bring the small fish to the right sufficiently to have its cleithrum engaged by the clip 96, even though at a more advanced position on the table than in the case of the larger fish whose cleithrum started out further to the right so that the clip did not have so far to travel transversely of the table to engage its cleithrum. Thus compensation is automatic for the large and small fish. This isa very important feature and greatly facilitates the operation of the device of our invention.

The rounded half 9! of the clip 96, Figs. 5, '7, and 8, helps the clip 96 do the necessary sliding over the fish until the cleithrum 45 is reached and then the sharpened portion 98, having moved in skin depressing manner moves into gripping position behind the cleithrum-the rounded portion 9? functioning to so dispose the pressure of the clip contact to cause the sharpened portion 98 to definitely grip the cleithrum 46. The head supporting rods 42 and 43, Fig. 2, very materially assist in rendering the fish responsive to the sev-. eral forces described above. Thehead represents a relatively heavy part and as lugs 34 must engage both large and small fish such rods reduce the friction of the head upon the table to an As the clip 96 finally moves the fish until the cleithrum 46 is in registration with the line 75, then the lifting arm H l is moved upwardly as roller I I3 strikes the abrupt shoulder face H6 of the cam H4, Fig. 12, with such suddenness as to be practically bumped upwardly so that clip 96 is disengaged and thereby suddenly stops moving the fish and leaves it with its cleithrum precisely in registration with line 15. At this point it will be noted that the fish is beyond the pulling action of puller 3i and is guided forward by engagement with fixed parallel guide 54, Figs. 1 and 2, at the time the head severing occurs. As the knife 45 engages the fish, the knife itself serves as the support of the head and after the knife 45 has passed through, the head is freeto drop into chute 34, rod 85 being inclined to leave the head unsupported and thus free to drop clear, and the head preferably being forced outwardly somewhat by projection 53, Fig.

ilfl 13, on knife45. As there are no hold-down means opposite the knife, the beheaded body of the fish is free to. move backward by the blow imparted by projection 52 upon severance of the head. Sharp shearing action of plate 48- assists thezknife in its cutting operation. This plate 48, preferably ofsteel and relatively thin compared to the cast metal of the. table top, can be readilyfiled to present aclose fitting slot 49 to conform to the knife and thus augment. the shearing, action. As point 82 is the first. part of the knife to engage the fish it divides the cutting operation into two parts, forward and aft, so that. as the cutting proceeds simultaneously forward and aft, there is no. objectionable dislodgment of the fish by the blow of the knife. Such jump up as may occur with the'large fish only aids the blow from the projection 52 in. forcing the body away from the knife 45 and to the right so that such blow, and the pulling to the right action of fixed pullers 38, 39, and 40, and the forcing to the right by upstanding inclined fish guide. 55, all. together definitely remove. the beheaded fish to the right so that the'knife upon its upstroke is entirely free fromall possibility of interfering with. the 'tailwardmovement of. the fish. even though the plane of. rotation. of the knife 45. is parallel. to that. of the. longitudinal. axis of the table and general direction of advance of the fish. The operation of the clutch requiring as it. does thatprojection. I68 revolve. to recess 16'! inorder for it to be movedv to a position which disconnects the, driving. force of sprocket I42 from the shaft 2| on which conveyor chain sprockets. 24 are mounted, positively insures that the lugs 34 on said conveyor chains will. only stop in proper predetermined. position with a. fish squarely beneath the knife 45'. Such arrangement also insures the same timing and relationship of. the lugs 34 and the knife 35 upon the resumption by operation of the clutch of theforward movement of the lugs as existed prior to stopping. As such operation of the clutch does not stop the rota.- tion of the. knife 45,.the fish moved to a position beneath the knife is sure to have itshead completely severed, and the conveyor chains with lugs 34 will be ready to move forward as previously to the stopping of the conveyor chains by throwing out the clutch. I

Suchoperation of the clutch to' so initiate the stopping of the conveyor chains. 33 may be almost instantaneous as it requiresonly a downwardly directed blow, which operates to unlock or dislodge block. I69 on the under face of clutch lever handle Ififl, Fig. 2, from. bearing against block [63 fixedly secured to table bracket I44, whereupon disengagement will be effected by spring I64 (Fig. 3) or I85 (Fig. 27). Thereupon, the fish only advance during the time that projection I68, Fig. 20', revolves to come into registration with recess I61 which it enters automatically by reason of spring [64. By so havingthe conveyor chains 33. stop as described, there is, no mangled or. chewed up fish to remove and. discard as heretofore, whenthe fish have been advanced to and. stopped beneath the knife when only part way entered thereunder. Obviously,

when the shape of. the knife 45 is considered, if

the fish is not in. its'predetermine'd. and. proper position, then the knife may cut. with its forward edge. into the. fish. and this would cut through choice edible meat rearward of the. proper line of cutting, with consequent wastage of meat. In short. since the knife 45 is of a definite shape conforming to and determinedv by, thev shape of 21v the fish head, it is clear that the fish must-be in the proper position or the function of the shape of the knife will be of no account but will operate to waste fish as it is adapted andshapedto cut properly only when the fish is in the proper position. The clutch of our invention insures this and isan important feature of our invention. Such removal of the mangled fish has been heretofore accompanied with danger from the revolving knife, as well as wastage of the fish and often loss of time beyond that causing the shut down. Our invention eliminates this danger and the cause for having a mangled fish.

Thus it will be seen how all the features of our invention combine in their operation to provide for protection to the operators, eliminationof wastage by precise caliper-like alignment of the fish, and prevention of wastage by elimination of mangled'fish and lost motion due to. errors in feeding the fish and permits continued operation at high speed for extended periods or runs.

Let it be noted that while we prefer a beheading knife of the rotary character nevertheless, the chopper typewhich reciprocates to and from the table and is well known in the art, maybe used. V 1 I The mode of operation of the modified forms shown in Figs. 30, 31, and 32, it will be seen, do not have a moving or traveling power. drivenclip member, as 96, to move the fish into alignment but do have means fixedly mounted on the table as the fixed pullers 35, 36 and 31 which operate to pull the fish to the right or toward groove 32. Preferably also there is provided the cooperating upper pullers I95 fioatingly mounted by-means of rods I96 and I91 above and in parallel relation to fixed pullers 35, 36, and 31. These two puller means operatin simultaneously upon opposite sides of the fish exert a positive pulling action on the fish as it is advanced longitudinally of the table and operate to pull the fish tailward toward the right, that is, toward groove 32. The fish is initially placed by the operator with its nose against guide 60 and this is adjusted in this modified form, see Fig. 30, so that the cleithrum 46 of the various sized fish is very definitely to the left of the alignment line I5. The alignment means composed of fioatingly mounted members I96 to 20l, Fig. 31, with edge 296 in registration with alignment line I5 (line of cutting) operate to engage the cleithrum 46 and thereupon hold or stop the fish from being pulled further to the right by the lower pullers 35, 36 and 31 and upper pullers I95. The fish is so held against such pulling action until it is advanced and engages parallel guide means 54 and then the fish is advanced only longitudinally of the table, and not tailward or headward, until it passes beneath rotary knife 45. It will be understood that either the fixed pullers 35, 36 and 31 on the-table may be employed as'the sole pulling means or the upper pullers I95 may be employed exclusively as such pulling means. Preferably and, as shown herein, the two, the lower and the upper pullers are used in combination to provide the action pulling the fish to the right and t0 bringthe cleithrum 46 into engagement with the edge 206 of' the alignment means comprising fioatingly mounted members I98 to 29L Upon reaching the beheading knife 45, the operation of the table thereafter is as hereinabove set forth.

The mode of operation of the alignment means of the modified form, Fig. 33,-isthe same in general as that comprising members I98-20I. However,-- between members I98.'2Ill there is a gap in the line formed by 296, while in the modified form shown in Figs. 33 and 34 the members are provided with a convex end fitting into the concave end portion of the link preceding so that no gap results and therefore there is no question of the end portion of the members catching or piercing the skin of the fish rather than riding thereover.

In Fig. 36, a single member 225 fioatingly mounted is employed as the alignment means and being a single member of a length extendin between lugs 34 of the conveyor chains 23 it eliminates all problem of gaps.

The mode of operation of the modified form of the cam II4 of our invention illustrated in Fig. 37 is set forth in connection with its description hereinabove.

Obviously, changes except as herein setforth may be made in the forms, dimensions, and ar+v rangement of the parts of our invention, without departing from the principle thereof, the above setting forth only preferred forms of embodiment.

We claim:

1. In a fish aligning beheading feed table for processing fish, a feed table having fish conveyor chains travelling lengthwise thereof from a fish feeder to a fishdischarge end; pusher means secured to said conveyor chains in uniform spaced relation, whereby a fish maybe conveyed over said table by sliding the fish on its side while contacting the table; a fish beheading knife operatively mounted at one side of the table adjacent the discharge end; fish puller plate fixedly mounted on said table surface having an upstanding rib disposed at an angle diverging in the direction of the fish travel and away from the knife side of the table; and a driven aligning fish cleithrum engaging clip movable in a rectilinear path inclined towards the knife side of the table while engaging the cleithrum of a fish simultaneously while said fish is being urged by said puller plate in the opposite direction.

2. In a fish aligning and beheading feed table for processin fish, a feed table having fish o0n-.-, veyor chains travelling lengthwise thereof from a fish feeder to a fish discharge end; pusher means secured to said conveyor chains in uniform spaced relation, whereby a fish may be conveyed back-first over said table by sliding the fish on its side while contacting the table; a fish beheading knife operatively mounted at one side of the table adjacent the discharge end; fish puller plate fixedly mounted on said table surface having an upstanding rib disposed at an angle diverging in the direction of the fish travel and-away from thezknife side of the table; a driven aligning fish cleithrum engaging clip movable in a rectilinear pathinclined towards the knife side of the table while engagin the cleithrum of a fish simultaneously while said fish is being urged by said puller plate in the opposite direction; a track on which said clip may be moved for a portion of its. path in elevated position as respects the fish passing thereunder, said clip being dropped upon the fish at the end of said trackway and moved rectilinearly for a portion of its path in skin depressing contact with a fish until said clip engages thecleithrum of the fish and then said clip with said engaged cleithrum moves said fish into registration with the beheading knife against the force of said pulling plate; and a top frame mounted on said table above the conveyor chains to which frame said track is secured.

3. In a fish aligning and beheading feed table forprocessing fish, a feed table. havin fish conmesmerveyor. chains travelling lengthwise thereotfrom a fishzfeeder. to a fishdischarge end; pusher'means secured to said conveyor; chains inuniiormspaced relation, whereby a fish may: be conveyed backfirst over said table by'sliding the: fish on its sidewhile. contacting the table; afish beheading lcniie operativelymounted at one side of. the-:tabl'e ad jacent the discharge end; fish puller plate fixedly mounted. on said table surfacev having. an up standing rib disposed at an. angle diverging in the direction of. the fish. travel; and away from the knife side of the table; adrivenaligningrfish cleithrum engaging clip'movable in arectilinear path inclinedtowards the knife side of the table while engaging the cleithrum. of a fish simul: taneously while said fish is being. urged. by said puller plate in the opposite direction; a track on which saidclip may be'moved for aportionoi. its path in'elevatediposition as respects thefishxpass ing thereunder, said clip being. dropped-upon the fish at the end of saidtrackway andmovedrectilinearly'for a portion of its path in skin depressing contact with a fish until said clip engages the cleithrum of'the'fish. and then said clip with said engaged cleithrum moves said fish: intoregistration with the beheading-knife: against. the force of saidpulling: plate; a top frame mounted on said table above the conveyor: chains to which frame said-track. is secured;.and hold downmeans fioatingly supported by said top frame, saidmea-ns having a depending. fish pulling; rib on its under.- side fioatingly disposed above and similarly cliverging as said first pulling means, whereby fish being advanced. over said; table are engaged as respects bothbody walls and are urged away from the knife side of the table.

4. In a fish aligning and beheadingfee'd table for processing fish, a feed table having fish conveyor chains travelling lengthwise thereof from afish feeder to a fish discharge end; pushermeans secured to: said conveyor chains inuniformzspaced relation, whereby a fish may bezconveyed. back first' over said table by sliding. the fish on its side while contacting the. table;. a: fishbeheadingkniie operativelymo'unted atone side of the table: adjacent. the discharge end;.fish puller plate fixedly mounted on said. table. surface having, an upstand ing rib disposed at. an angle diverging, in the direction of the fish traveland away from. the knife side of the table, whereby" the sidewall ofthebodyof the fish may beslidingly engaged and the fish moved transversely of the table;;and.an actuated aligning fish cleithrum engaging clip movable ina rectilinear path inclinedtowards the knife side of: the table while engaging: thewclei thrumof a fish simultaneously while said: fish is being engagedrby. said puller plate.

5. In a fish aligning and beheadingfeedtable; a feed table having fish conveyor chainsitravelling lengthwise thereof, pusher means. secured. to. said conveyor chains in. uniform spacedrelation; whereby a fish may be conveyed back-first. over said table by sliding the fish on its side; while contacting the. table; a. frame member extending over the top of saidtable; and: a fish hold down mechanism fioatingly suspended fromsaidi'rame member comprising a'front member and: a. rear member hingedly connectedto said. front; meme ber, said front member. having a fish pulling angularly disposed rib inclined divergingly from the longitudinal axis of the'table and therear'member provided witha tootheded'ge plate. on its imderside to engage a fish;

ing fish conveyor chains travelling lengthwise 24 thereof; pusher means secured; to said: conveyor chains in uniform spaced: relation, whereby a fish may be: conveyed over. said table by sliding the fish on its side-while contacting the table;

and a beheadingiknife having a. blade withaa.

wedge-shape; block mounted; on the head. side in spaced: relation to the cutting. edge of the blade, wherebythesheadl issforced away from the: blade after the headtis severed. from the body.

7;. In: a fish processing table, the combination at a; driven mounting. means, alfish engagin clip carried. by said. mounting. means having a fish contacting bottom face formed: with a rounded surfacesfor'aportiorr of the length thereof, whereby is facilitated the sliding. of. said clip.over' a fish. in. skin depressin manner, and. the balance of. said bottom face. formed with an. edge. to engage. beneath. the cleithrum. of the. fish.

8:. Afishaligning. and beheading feed table-for processing fish comprisingza fish feedtable having fish; conveyor chains travelling lengthwise thereof from a fish .feedertda; fish discharge end; pusher means: secured. to; said conveyor chains in uniform spaced; relation, whereby fish may be conveyed-baclc-first over. saiditable by sliding the fish on its side while contacting the table; aflsh beheading. knife operatively mounted. at one side at the: table adjacent. the discharge end, said knife intersecting" the. plane of; the. table .on its downward stroke. andthebla'de. of said: knife hav-- ing, a. line: of cutting; a. fish. puller plate fixedly mounted on said table surfacev havin an upstanding; rib disposed at an angle diverging in; the direction of the fish travel and: awayirom" the knife sideof the table; an aligning fish cleithrum engagingv clip movable in arectilinear path; inclined towards the knife sideot the table; atrack on. whichsaid clipmay be. movedfor a portion of: its path in; elevated v position as respects the fish passing; thereunder, said trackway terminating atthefeed end ofthe table at a predetermined point of the advance of thefish towards the discharge end, said clip being dropped from saidend of saidtrackway and moved rectilinearly for: a portion of its pathin skin depressing contact with: afish until saidclip engages the. cleithrum of the fish, whereupon said. clip inits con.- tinued movement rectilinearly -moves said fish while engaged with the cleithrum into registration with the: line of cutting of the beheading knife against the. force or; said puller plate;. and elevating meansfor said clip located at the endof its rectilinear travel, whereby said clip may be elevated and thereby disengaged fromv the cleithrumofv the fish permitting the fish-toadvance lengthwise of the table while the cleithrum'isin' registration] with the line of cutting of the be-- header knife;

9:. In a fish aligning and; beheadingieedtable. a feed table-having fishconveyor chains travelling lengthwisethereof, pusher means secured. to said conveyor chains in; uniform spaced relation, wherebya fish may be. conveyed over, said table by'slidingithe fish onits-side while contacting the table; a. frame: member extending over the top of;sa-id: table; and a fish; shifting means floatingly suspended from-saidframe member havin a'fish Dullingangularly disposedrib inclineddivergingly from the longitudinal axis of thetable in the directionofthe advance of the fish.

10. In a fish aligning. and beheading table, means to advance-fish longitudinally of the table, a rotary knife mounting member,. and a knife mounted on. said: mounting member and having a blade the cutting. edge: of. which. is.- formed with two points, one, a radially inner point, being ciroumferentially in advance of the other, a radially outer point, in the direction of knife rotation, said cutting edge having a concave portion between said mounting member and said radially inner point formed with a blunt double-beveled edge, and the radially outer end of said blade and the portion of said blade between said radially inner point and said radially outer point having a sharp cutting edge formed by a long bevel on only one side of the knife blade.

11..In a fish processing table, a fish table including a top having a plurality of parallel slots extending longitudinally of said table, a. behead ing knife adjacent to said table, conveyor chains extending along such slots and carrying lugs engageable with a fish to move it to said beheading knife lengthwise along said table while such fish is lying on its side crosswise of the table, rods fixedly mounted on the upper surface of said table top, extending longitudinally of said tableand operable to be engaged by a fish to facilitate sliding of such fish transversely of the table while such fish is being moved longitudinally of said table toward said beheading knife by said lugs, and cleithrum engaging means operable to engage the cleithrum of the fish resting on said rods and move such fish transversely of the table.

12. In a fish processing table, a fish table including a top having a plurality of parallel slots extending longitudinally of said table, a beheading knife adjacent to said table, conveyor chains extending along such slots and carrying lugs engageable with a fish to move it to said beheading knife lengthwise along said table while such fish is lying on its side crosswise of the table, rods fixedly mounted on the upper surface of said table top, extending longitudinally of said table and operable to be engaged by the head of a fish to facilitate sliding of such fish transversely of the table while such fish is being moved longitudinally of said table toward said beheading knife by said lugs, and cleithrum engaging means operable to engage the cleithrum of the fish while its head is resting on said rods and move such fish transversely of the table.

13. In a fish aligning and beheading feed table, conveyor means for moving fish over said table comprising conveyor chains having fish moving lugs disposed in spaced relation, a drive shaft, sprocket wheels receiving said conveyor chains and secured on said drive shaft, and a clutch, whereby said lugs may be stopped at a predetermined position, including a driving member idly and longitudinally slidably mounted on said shaft and having clutch jaws on one side, stop means fixed on said shaft and limiting the longitudinal sliding of said driving member, resilient means urging said driving member against said stop means, a fixed clutch member mounted on the frame of said table having a recess in its clutch face, a movable clutch member splinedly, slidably mounted on said shaft and having clutch jaws on one side opposed to the clutch jaws of said driving member, and a projecting knob on its other side conforming to and registrable with the recess of said fixed clutch member, the space between the clutch jaws of said driving member in normal operating position and said fixed clutch member being less than the width of said movable clutch member, whereby the movable clutch memher is not disengageable from the driving member until the projecting knob of the movable clutch member enters the recess of the fixed clutch member, and lever means for controllably moving the movable clutch member longitudinally of the shaft.

14. In the fish aligning and beheading feed table defined in claim 13, the lever means being pivotally mounted on the table and connected to the movable clutch member whereby the clutch jawsof the movable clutch member may be disengaged when lts knob revolves to a point where it engages the recess of the fixed clutch member,

thereby allowing said movable clutch member to slide lengthwise of said shaft sufiiciently to disengage the clutch jaws of the driving'member and movable clutch member at a predetermined point, effecting stoppage of the conveyor chains with their lugs in predetermined positions, a looking block mounted on the table, and a second locking block mounted on the lever means and selectively releasably engageable with said first locking block for controlling movement of the lever.

WILLIAM A. FONKEN.

EDMUND AUER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,222,926 Brierly et al Apr. 17, 1917 1,542,196 Waugh June 16, 1925 1,642,444 Hovden Sept. 13, 1927 1,643,504 Lea Sept. 2'7, 1927 2,208,645 Savrda July 23, 1940 2,346,935 Oates Apr. 18, 1944 

